Shaft-support for vehicles



D. A. lFPPERSON. Shaft-Support for Vehicles.

No. 226,049 Patented' Mar. 3o, 1880.

NV PEPE-RS, PHOTO-LITHOGHAFHE. WASHINGTON. D C.

Nrrnv DAVID A. ERPERSON, OF HAUBSTADT, INDIANA.

SHAFT-SUPPORT F'oR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,049, dated March30, 1880,

Application led January 3l, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. DAVID A. EPPERsoN, of Haubstadt, in the county ofGibson and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shaft-Supports for Vehicles; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, which` will enable others skilled in the art to which-itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had .to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view,and Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken through the lock on the line .fr x,Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in the several gures are denoted by like letters ofreference.

This invention relates to devices for supporting the shafts of buggiesor other vehicles at any desired elevation; and it consists in theimproved construction and arrangement of parts, which will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the axle of a buggy or othervehicle. B B are the thills or shafts, and G the cross-bar connectingthe latter. D is the front spring, and E the reach-bar or coupling. F isa bracket secured upon the coupling E, and extending in front of thespring, where it is provided wiht two arms, G, located one above theother and forming bearings for a vertical standard, H, which is fittedloosely, so as to be capable of turning in its said bearings. At itsupper end the standard H is provided with a vertical slot, I, in whichis pivoted a lever, J, extending downward and forward between the lthills.

The locking device, by which I secure the thills at any desiredelevation, consists of a box or casting, K, secured to the cross-bar C,and provided with a vertical slot, L, for the accommodation of the leverJ, the free end of which slides in said slot. In the box or casting K,above lever J, is adjusted a latch, M, operated by a spring, N, andadapted to engage one of a series of notches, O, in lever J.

P is a suitably-constructed catch or trigger passing through the box K,and projecting upon the front and rear sides ofthe latter. Said trigger,when moved in a forward direction, is adapted to engage an opening oreye,

Q, in the latch M, which is thereby retained in an elevated position andprevented from engaging the notches in lever J. A By moving the triggerhack the latch is released for operation.

The ends of trigger P, it will be observed, project upon the front andrear sides of box K, so that it may be operated automatically by contactwith a knob, R, upon the frontend of lever J and with the upper end ofstandard H, respectively.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of niyinvention will bereadily understood.

When the thills are lowered the front end of the trigger is acted uponby the knob at the front end 'of lever J, thereby keeping the device inposition for operation. The thills, when raised, may be retained in anydesired position by engagement of the spring-latch with one of thenotches in lever J.

'Io lower the thills, they are first raised sufliciently to raise thespring-latch out of the notch which it at the time engages, when thetrigger may be moved or pushed forward, so as to retain the latch insuch elevated position, in which it offers no obstruction to thelowering of the thills, or the trigger may be operated by raising thethills to their full capacity, when the rear end of the latch will beacted upon by the top of standard H with the result mentioned.

My invention is simple and may be easily attached to any ordinaryvehicle, and it will he observed that the standard H being pivoted inits bearings, no resistance is offered to the turning of the front axlein turning the vehicle.

Having thus described myinvention, Iclailn and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United Statesl. In a shaftsupporter for vehicles,the combination of the pivoted standard H and notched lever J, pivotedto the upper end of In testimony that I claim the foregoing as saidstandard, `with a suitably constructed my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in lock secured to the cross-bar of the thlls to presence oftwo Witnesses.

engage the said notched lever, as set forth.

5 2. The combination of the pivoted standard DAVID A. EPPERSON. H,notched lever J, having knob R, and the a lock consisting of the boX K,spring-latch M, Witnesses: havin g eye Q, and trigger P, projectiu g infront JOSEPH N. REEL, and rear of box K, all arranged and operatingFRANK J. ZILIAK.

1o as and for the purpose set forth.

